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The good, the bad, and the ugly - discover what customers are saying about Bender ball

Welcome to our customer reviews and complaints page for Bender ball. We understand that making informed decisions about where to invest your time and money can be challenging, which is why we've created this platform for our community to share their honest feedback about their experiences with Bender ball.

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6:16 pm EDT
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Bender ball Double Charge, Unauthorized Charge, Poor Customer Service

I ordered a bender ball as a present for someone about a month ago, now I was charged about $26 for the extra supplements they decided to send to me. I called the customer service line and they did absolutely nothing, said it was already shipped so I couldn't get my money back until after I sent it back at my own expense. A day after I had this conversation THE EXACT SAME CHARGE was on my account to the cent! They double charged me after the women said she was reverse it. Unbelievable. I'm trying to file a formal complaint against them through my bank but for some reason my bank is not allowing me to.

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K
12:50 pm EDT

Bender ball Scam

The bender ball may, work as good as any store kids ball, but it is not worth the phone call. Once you get on the phone, they tell you 9.99 then you give your credit card and then the scam offers start. You can't get off the phone for half an hour, they try to enroll you in everything under the sun, for monthly credit protection, free gas cards, free shopping club, free walmart card, and the list goes on. You never get a total of what they are charging to your card. I declined everything, the DVD's are extra by the way. I read on line complaints that you have to cancel also with a phone call you can't through on, to stop monthly dvd's charges on your card. Stay away from this item, I wish I had!

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Valerie
Valerie
, US
Nov 07, 2008 7:18 am EST

Beware! The commercial says it will cost you $9.99. That's for VHS, which NO ONE has. After S&H they have milked you for $21. You get the piece of junk in about 2 weeks. The ball doesn't hold air! Oh yeah, did I mention to watch out when you're checking out. Look at the fine print. They send 2 more "boost" DVDs which they charge 19.99 + S&H. You have to call about 10 times to get a refund. GO BUY A KIDS BALL AT A SUPERMARKET!

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5:41 pm EDT
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Bender ball Terrible company

First, this happened about one year ago. Apparently Bender Ball/ Essential Boost plays on the New Years' resolution phenomenon and only advertises heavily at this time of year.

The Bender Ball itself is a cheaply made, moderately effective exercise aid, but it is also cheaply priced, so I figured I got what I paid for and that is not the main complaint. Though I continue to warn others away from the product, I freely admit I should have known better.

Today I am writing mostly to warn others about the inexpensive 'add on' specials on the website, where 'if you order now' you can get an additional exercise video or other accessory. I did so, but to get the video I also had to agree to get a trial offer of a diet aid supplement called 'Essential Boost'. This is not a product I would ever use because I am overly sensitive to the ingredients in most of the ones I've tried. I only agreed to get it in order to get the additional tape, and figured it would be no problem to cancel well within the limits of the trial period.

The Bender site says on the main page that shipment 'usually' happens within 48 hours, but now I notice that on the shopping cart page 'two weeks' is standard delivery. After two weeks with no product in sight, I had to call and the person sheepishly informed me that they had 'probably' been out of stock. I directed him at that time to go ahead and cancel the diet supplement and was told it had been done.

Weeks later, within days of finally receiving the Bender Ball package, I received the 'second' shipment of the unwanted supplement. I called again and was told since I had agreed online to receive this, I would have to pay, including the return shipping. No one seemed to know anything about my prior cancellation. I spoke to a supervisor and shared very clearly that I thought his company was engaging in deceptive practices and I would be telling everyone I knew. Though he stuck to his guns about how I had entered into a legal contract with them, I think I impressed him slightly, as they agreed to refund the cost of the product, but not their inflated fee to ship it to me, nor my expense to ship it back, insured.

After that, Bender Ball ads were no longer appearing on TV. I figured they'd been revealed as the scam I strongly suspected them to be, and put out of business, so I never took time to make formal complaints like this.

I highly suspect that the delayed shipment of the actual Bender Ball combined with the quick shipment of the diet supplement is planned. Most people would rather pay the exorbitant $20 plus $6 shipping and just keep the unwanted Essential Boost, rather than go through the hassle and expense to return it as I did. It cost over $6 to send it back as by then I felt it necessary to have a delivery signature so they couldn't further scam me by saying it never arrived.

DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY AT YOUR OWN RISK!

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12:06 pm EST
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Bender ball deceptive practice

The online order is very deceiving. The website gives the impression that the purchaser will receive a DVD and a Bender ball. It is not clear that the consumer will be put on the Continuity plan and receive auto shipments of additional DVD's. I noticed on my packaging slip from the original shipment that I had been placed on this plan and that my next shipment will be received in about 30 days. I called the company and informed them that I would like to be taken off of the Continuity plan and that I thought their methods were deceptive. The customer service agent could not get off of the phone fast enough. Hopefully, I will receive no future shipments or charges.

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7:58 am EDT
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Bender ball Bad service

I order the bender ball online. I received my item last month . On September 11 2008, I was Checking my online bank account and found out another $30.00 was debit from my account. When, I called, I was informed that I was enrolled in a continuity program and there was an online disclaimer informing of this fact. There is no such thing on bill of sale, nor attached to my packing slip, I did not see anything to let me know that I was signed up for this. I call the company in the same day and they said they already had ship the merchandise, which I found out later that was not true. they shipped on the 15 of September. The costumer service said that I have to wait until I receive the merchandise and then return to them. Then after 7 to 10 days after they had received the merchandise they will make overturn the charge.

I think this practice is very dishonest and sneak, and they have a Very rude customer service. I have contacte them four times over the phone without any success for the issue to be resolved.

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Ecain
Orlando, US
Jun 29, 2010 3:37 pm EDT

They are a total scam! They just kept charging my account. When i disputed it, they made me feel like i was wrong and it was my fault i didnt know this was going to cost me a fortune. This is the worst product ever. Website said it would cost only 9.99, ended up costing me 60. Stay away from this product, they are thieves.

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dorothy tiffie
San Dimas, US
Feb 20, 2012 8:58 pm EST

i tryed to cancel this product but the no.they transfer me to was not a working no.don't want it and they keep billing me and i haven't even received the bender ball yet.i just want my money back .or i will get intouch with my attorney.

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Jose_L
, US
Jul 03, 2014 2:29 am EDT

I am getting charged just like everyone else already noted it here, and I can't find an email address to put it in writing and then contact my credit card company to dispute it and have proof that I tried to resolve this issue...

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ltollis
Rever, US
May 06, 2012 12:27 am EDT

Have your credit card company block any additional charges from this vendor. You can also dispute the charges with your credit card company. This is perhaps the worst company I have ever dealt with! Good Luck!

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SKindiana
Haubstadt, US
Aug 26, 2010 3:48 pm EDT

I am still going through it. I ordered the product in April and am still getting money deducted monthly from my credit card. If they have such a good product, why do they need to run this scam? Now they are saying although they didn't send anymore product, they forgot to charge me the correct amount for the 2nd shipment I didn't want and that is why they charged me another month. Now it is Aug and I still haven't received satifaction. It is ashame! What crooks!

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mellyy
Richmond Hill, US
Jun 20, 2009 9:27 am EDT

so instead of doing what it seems thousands of people did and get ripped off from the television and online...

i simply went to modells, and purchased my bender ball for 19.99. plus tax. came with three DVD's.

did my aerobics, along with the bender ball and the results are awesome, if you do it right!

see folks, a lesson to be learned. patience is a virtue in the game, if you guys only waited a bit longer than ordering right away; just saying:)

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RW
,
Nov 07, 2008 1:22 pm EST

Same thing just happened to me. This company needs to be sued. The "customer service rep" I just talked to actually has a Nigerian accent. Hmmm...that should be all you need to know. I am going to contact my credit union/credit card company. There is no "monthly" program, nor do I want anything more from this scam of a company.

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gk
,
Oct 31, 2008 8:47 pm EDT

I am going thru the same thing right now. I had money taken from my account. I called to find out why and was told about the disclaimer. I told them to cancel any further mailings. They told me to wait 10 days for the item to show up. Its been more than 10 days. I will be calling them again. All I want is my money back. They are scamming people out of money for a ball and frisby's.

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3:12 pm EDT
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Bender ball Very rude customer service.

Bought a bender ball (exercise ball) and then 6 weeks later I am seeing new charges on my debit card. When I called I was told that I signed up for a "continuity program" and because there was a check-box on the payment screen which I did not un-check. They mailed out additional merchandise to me (which I never ordered) and just charged me for it. I went back to their website and verified that this check-box does NOT exist on the payment screen. This is an illegal practice and this business should be shut down. Very rude customer service.

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2:40 am EDT
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Bender ball Fraud

I ordered the bender ball two months ago and received it. A month later I was charged for another bender ball product I was unaware they were going to be sending me and at that time was charged a $30 overdraft fee from my bank because they just took the money out of my account. I emailed the company and they assured me they were not going to be sending me anything more and I would be reimbursed as soon as I mailed the product back to them, so I mailed it out on 7/3/08. Today I looked at my bank account and again the same thing. I was charged $19.99 and was charged two more overdraft fees which I wouldn't have been charged if this company hadn't done this to me. I called customer service and again assured me they wouldn't charge me any more and I shouldn't have been charged again. When I asked to speak to the representative's supervisor he told me he was unavailable. I am extremely upset over this situation and have never dealt with such an unprofessional company. Is there anything else I can do about this?

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Jack
, US
Aug 10, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

I too ordered the bender ball on the phone took forever because of all of the other products they wanted me to buy. I said no to all except essential boost because I was told it was free, and could cancel immediately of not satisfied. I recieved the essential boost and was charged for it before I could cancel it. I too think this whole thing was planned. The bender ball is now just one of my sons' bouncy balls, and getting a refund on the essential boost has been a joke! They have told me it has been credited back to me, but I have yet to see the refund.

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Klifer
, US
Jan 28, 2010 2:47 pm EST

Deceptive practices in selling/customer services within the company &/or Essential Boost. Also, a cheap product- should've known. Got what I paid for

This happened ~1 year ago. Bender Ball /Essential Boost seem to play on New Year resolutions. The return of TV ads leads me to share now. B.Ball is a cheaply made, moderately effective exercise aid, tho not as cheap as a play ball which works the same. Got what I paid for-not main complaint. Be warned about the inexpensive 'add ons' at the website checkout. To get an add't. inexpensive video I had to agree to trial offer of a diet aid called Essential Boost. Didn't want, but it seemed no problem to cancel well within the limits of the trial period. Bender site main page says ship't usually happens within 48 hrs; now I notice shopping cart page says '2 wks' std. delivery.

2 weeks with no product in sight, I called was informed that they had 'probably' been out of stock. I told him then to cancel the Ess.Boost. & was told it was done. Wks later, w/in days of arrival of B.Ball package, I received the '2nd' shipment of Ess.Boost. No response to my online complaint to cust. 'service'. Phoned again & was told I'd agreed online to receive this, I'd have to pay. No one knew anything about my canceling. Told supervisor clearly that I thought his co. engaged in deceptive practices & I would tell everyone I knew. He repeated I had entered online into legal contract, offered excuses for the shipm't. timing, & claimed Ess.Boost and BBall were not the same company. Finally agreed to refund the cost of the product, but not their large shipping fee nor my expense to return- insured at their insistence.

Ads were no longer on TV. I hoped they'd been revealed as the scam I suspected so never made formal complaint. I strongly suspect that the delayed shipment of the actual B.Ball combined with the quick shipment of the Ess. Boost is planned.

I figure my situation has been resolved as much as I can expect it to be. I want them to stop the apparent practice of delaying shipment and 'losing' cancellations to try and force the sale of unwanted products.

It did not escape my notice that the price of Essential Boost falls $10 short of the limit where you can have your credit card deal with dispute resolution. This does not ease my suspicion that Bender Ball practices are less than up-front and ethical.

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lori green
Woodland, US
Aug 16, 2016 6:29 am EDT

OMG! i called to order a bender ball, that's ALL i wanted.I was on the phone for about 30 min listening to a recording that was trying to sell me 20 other things.Not to mention all the free junk..And during the course of my attempting to order just the ball and kit for only 9.95 i remembered, OH GREAT! there going to get me for additional shipments that i am declining at time of my order ANYWAY...SO...i have to remember to check my bank account AND return all the crap i didn't order because i know their going to send it anyway...I'm such a sucker. My sister always says to me after I order this crap"how much is shipping and handling"AND "do they sell that at Target?" will I ever learn?" Companies like this hope people like me don't remember what a pail in the*#@ they are.

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Kmvillan
Merritt Island, US
Feb 08, 2010 2:49 pm EST

I ordered the Bender Ball in January, I got a call from their 800 number advertising some other products, I refused during the call. I recieved my Bender Ball a week later. One month later, I noted my checking account was charged $26.98 from Bender Ball. I called the company and found that I was automatically signed up with my order in the Continuity Program, and was to expect a packet of DVDs. In addition I should anticipate an additional $20.00 to be debitted from my account, since I didn't cancel in the initial 30 days. After several choice words, the sales gal, Mary Ganiron, told me she would credit my account for the $26.98 and she would cancel the Continuity membership. Sadly, this is why I will not order products from TV or internet in the future.

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das2141
, US
Sep 22, 2010 3:28 pm EDT

I have just had my FOURTH contact with that company and have received only a partial refund. I too did not see the small type after the shopping cart that was added and had no idea there was anything like a recurring deduction. I've spoken (via chat) with Alfie, Amanda (twice) and today was Alex. This is fraudulent and deceptive. I have the form ready to go to my State's Attorney, and if I do not recieve the balance of my refund within one week, I will be filing my paperwork. I have also copied the text of each of my four chats and this transcript will be sent with my complaint paperwork to the State's Attorney.

I haven't even opened the product yet because if I need to send it back (even though they've assured me I do not have to do that), I want it to be ready. This is a toal scam.

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cww12
dallas, US
Jun 28, 2010 11:31 am EDT

I just spoke to someone on the phone to cancel this for the SECOND time! Now that I went back to the website I understand how I got scammed into the reoccurring fee. When I selected the package I wanted and added it to the shopping cart it stated $39 and said nothing about reoccurring fees whatsoever. Then in the fine print at the top when you checkout you swindle the customer into the "program". Here is the 8 point font text from your website:

Total Core Training Kit (DVD)
Kit Includes: Bender Ball, Bender Method Manual, and five Bender Method workouts. Starting in 30 days, and then every other month, you’ll receive two new workouts at a special reserved price of $19.99 per month plus $6.99 shipping and handling, charged to the same credit card you are using today. You can cancel at any time by calling customer service, and Leslee’s DVDs come with our 30-day money back guarantee.

The problem is that is NOT what was added to the customer shopping cart and you have in fact changed the terms and conditions after the product selection was made. That's all around bad business and whatever brainiac thought it up should be fired.

I am filing a complaint with the BBB as well as the ICC because you are effectively defrauding your customer. Then I will post "bender Ball FRAUD" on as many e-opinion and internet forums as I can find so you can't leach off anyone who searches for Bender Ball first. I hate internet scammers and I will make it my personal mission to prevent you from scamming anymore unsuspecting people.

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***DEE***
, US
Apr 07, 2010 2:52 pm EDT

OMG... it happened to me the same thing. This company is a SCAM. They charge me $26.89 for a DVD which i did NOT know of. I called the customer service, she said when i placed the order, i'm automatically become a member, and that's why they will charge me every month for $26.98 . they said they will refund back the money when i return the package, but they will refund only for the DVD price not the S&H..then i have pay for the S&H? Why would i pay for the S&H for something i did not order?

Anway, I called my bank to stop all payment to this company. Let wait and see what will happen.

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Amy
,
Aug 19, 2008 1:10 pm EDT

The EXACT same thing happened to me. I ordered a bender ball online and there's a section where you check a box that indicates if you want to order the kit, which continuously sends you a DVD every month for a charge. I specifically remember NOT checking that box! Last month, they took $26.98 out of my account. I called customer service and demanded my money back since I didn't sign up for this service, and was told to send back the DVD and my money would be refunded. The man I talked to then said that since I ordered online, it's an automatic charge regardless if I checked the box or not. They "assured" me that no more charges would be deducted from my account. Low and behold, this month they took $19.99. I called again and they gave me some crap that the service is $46 and they split it into 2 payments and this was the last payment. Again, I told them I did NOT order this service in the first place and I sent back the DVD they first sent, and still had no refund. The woman told me that no more money would be deducted after this month, but that's the same story I was given before. I went to my bank to see if I could stop any future charges and they gave me a credit back for the money, provided I show them receipts that I mailed back the DVD. They said they would prohibit any more charges from bender ball. This company is a SCAM and the internet is full of complaints just like this. I plan to file a complaint with the BBB and post everywhere I possibly can that this is a rip-off. I encourage everyone with this problem to do the same!

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2:36 am EDT
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Bender ball I got scammed

I ordered a bender ball after seeing the infomercial. After the thirty day 'trial period' they sent me two DVD’s, with out any sort of invoice, with a flier stating that if you want a refund to call. I called and was told that I was charged 1/2 of the full amount which came to $27.98 (this month). I told the man that I did not sign up for these extra DVD’s. He stated that when I went online to order that I would have seen that customers are 'automatically signed up'. I told him that I didn't order this online, that I called in and he said that I should have gone online to research the company and that I am the ONLY person in the world who doesn't do that. He proceeded to argue with me for thirty minutes about this as well as tell me that all of the supervisors had left. After waiting an additional fifteen minutes, I finally spoke to a supervisor who really didn't care and told me that it stated on my original invoice about this as well as online. I does not say that anywhere on my original invoice OR online. What I DID find online was that after the thirty day 'customer satisfaction' period, you cannot send the bender balls back.

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Laurie
,
Jun 20, 2008 11:31 am EDT

I had the same experience with bender ball. What a scam! I have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau, attorney general's office and anyone else I could find.

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